Meet His Parents
by Itaweasel-hime
Summary: They are in love, so they should be married, right? Wrong, at least according to Mikoto. How can she really be sure that they are in love anyway? Non-Massacre one-shot.


_Really._ It had all started with a simple question, quickly followed by an even simpler answer. That was how she found herself in such a traumatic situation. In the end, it had to be worth it; Sakura hoped as much, at least. It would be cruel if she had been put through such harsh trials only to be utterly miserable.

Sakura had been comfortably curled up on her small, tattered couch, reading a newly acquired medical scroll. Tsunade had told her to study up on different jutsu that originated from foreign shinobi nations. Though these jutsu were somewhat difficult to come across, seeing most countries guarded their jutsu with high levels of security, it was still vital to lear alternate approaches to gain an overall success rate in healing.

Then, there had been a soft, barely perceptible knock on her apartment door. As a twenty year old woman, Sakura had moved from under her parent's roof long ago.

There had been a man at the door, decked out in his ANBU operative uniform and armor. His build was tall and lean, his face obscured from view with a porcelain hawk mask. Sakura had nothing to worry about from this ghostly member of shinobi society; she was more than just familiar with the man looming over her in his intimidating manner. Viridian orbs softened with relief, and a small smile graced her rosy, heart-shaped lips. He had returned to her safe and sound from his espionage mission in Iwa, at least from the short inspection she had made.

Solaced by his presence alone, she wanted to tear his mask from his face and kiss every inch of his pale, aristocratic face, until she was sure that it truly was her lover, in the flesh. Absolute secrecy was more necessary however, and so she stepped wordlessly to the side, letting him into her humble abode. The door shut quietly, and unable to restrain herself any longer, she leapt into his strong arms, nearly knocking him over with the momentum. He gave a small chuckled at her fervor, then held her closely to him, breathing in her heady scent of cherry blossoms, white jasmine and peaches, savoring the feel of her soft, feminine curves against his hardened muscles.

"I missed you too much this time," he whispered into shortened strands of pink hair. Itachi reached up to remove the now unwanted ANBU mask from his face, lifting it into the long raven hair on top his head. Not giving her time to reply to his comment, Itachi swooped down and captivated her with thin, soft lips. Sakura reacted favorably to his kiss, cinching her warm and welcoming body closer to his.

It had been practically two months since the last time he had seen Sakura, had been so long since he had felt the pleasure of holding her against him. Itachi hated leaving her for such long periods of time, but it was hard not to, with his rank as a senior ANBU captain. This mission though, really had been too much time apart, and the whole span of his assignment, he had thought about it.

The conclusion he reached in the end was natural and comprehensible. Itachi had spent twelve years in the ANBU, and was a well-seasoned shinobi, having almost more experience in his field than he wanted. He had stuck with it much longer than Hatake Kakashi, and anyone else, for that matter. It was only by pure, dumb luck (and thanks to Sakura) that he was still completely sane. Now that he had someone else waiting for him at home, the appeal to take on long, dangerous missions was nonexistent. So, he had decided to finally retire and become a regular jonin. And he knew just what to do in celebration of this.

"Sakura," Itachi breathed, breaking away from her sweet, tempting mouth, and enticing a whimper of displeasure to sound from between her bruising lips. Blindly, she sought his lips again, but Itachi held her in place. Not satisfied in the least, she opened her eyes and gave him the attention he wanted. Sakura would forgive him, he knew, as soon as she knew why he had interrupted their much needed kiss. "How would you feel about my retiring from ANBU?" He asked.

Instantly, the anger that she had shown disappeared from her pretty features. A cheerful grin replaced it, and an excited gleam could be seen in her bright, green eyes. This thought clearly pleased her, and it was understandable that it did. With him in Konoha more than not, it would be possible for them to have a stable relationship together, where they could see each other at least once a day.

In the beginning, they had decided it best to keep their fledgeling romance out of the condescending attention of the general public, namely the Uchiha clan. His family would undoubtedly be more trouble than it was worth. To avoid becoming the newest market-square gossip scandal, they had neither told a soul of their attachment. Sometimes it had been especially difficult when Ino or Shisui had made their attempts of setting them up with partners, but they had somehow survived a good, long year.

"Are you really thinking about leaving?" She asked frantically. Itachi had half the mind to laugh at her reaction, but did no more than give her one of his awkward, lopsided smiles. Over the two months of his absence, he had thought long and hard. With the separation , it had been even easier to make the necessary decisions. Hopefully, they were ones she was willing to accept.

"It depends on something." He answered cryptically, knowing very well how much she hated being talked to in riddles. Before she could begin to respond, Itachi led her from the entrance of her little, cozy apartment and sat her down on the couch.

"Depends on what, Itachi?" She pleaded impatiently. He smirked, knowing he was irritating the hell out of her. She looked as if she were fully prepared to get on her hands and beg. However, when he almost cautiously took a mysterious looking, little black box out of his pocket, and kneeled before her, did she freeze.

"Would you, Haruno Sakura, be my lawful, wedded wife?" He murmured in that smooth, velvety tenor of his. He was startled, and slightly taken aback when she choked on a sob, but made sense of it once gazing at the soggy smile she was wearing. Tears of joy blurring her vision, she stared at the engagement ring he was holding.

It had a simple soft of charm to it, and she absolutely loved it. Hand shaking, she held it out for him, watching as Itachi slipped the quaint ring on her finger. She stared at it for a moment before completely tackling him. This time he allowed himself to chuckle at her expense, and she quickly joined in, giggling giddily.

They gave into their carnal desires, not really thinking about the suicide mission they would soon have to take on, now that they were officially engaged. All was right in the world at that moment; them sprawled on her living room floor, consuming one another in a timeless battle of passion and lust. All too soon, they would have to face the very people they had avoided, but until then, they would content themselves in tangling up together in their privacy.

...

Itachi lazily purred her name out in the late morning sun. They had not fallen asleep until early in the morning, having been much too preoccupied with one another to dare think of sleeping. Sakura groaned as she stretched like a napping feline, wincing as she strained something she should not have, with her entire body tense from the previous night.

"Good morning, Sakura." He smirked smugly, seeing just when she had flinched from pain.

"Good morning, indeed." She grumbled, crouching over him to give a sluggish kiss. He returned it, pulling her down onto him more fully. The contact of skin shot electricity through them, and she gasped in surprise before reluctantly sitting up, their sheets pooling at her hips. "My shift at the hospital begins in almost an hour." She informed him, tiredly getting up.

He nodded, filing away the new information in his mind. Her schedule was changing nearly every month, but once they were married, he was certain he could persuade Tsunade to give Sakura more _normal _hours. Thankfully, she would end her shift at the hospital a little before dinner time. Though he was not particularly looking forward to it, it was best they shared the news soon. The shock was going to be bad enough as it was.

"I need to return to the compound." He called after her as she entered the bathroom, getting out of bed as well. Sakura yelled at him to take a shower before taking off, but he exited through her bedroom window once having fully dressed himself. Before, he had always cleaned up first, but now he was able to proudly display that distinct female scent that clung to him from being around Sakura. If they were going to marry, he saw no need to hide their relationship any longer.

Unconcerned with his disheveled appearance, Itachi stalked through the gravel streets of Konoha, listening to the crunch sound his sandals made with each step. He should have been fretting over what exactly to tell his parents, but he was too determined to have Sakura as his own to let them change his mind now. They would simply have to accept his choice, and be glad that they did not have to arrange a marriage for him.

Shisui was on guard duty at the compound gate, and Itachi saw his cousin's eyes widen in surprise at seeing his less than presentable appearance. A small, hardly noticeable smirk found its way onto his lips, but he said nothing as he passed, and Shisui gave him a certain look, and Itachi knew he was in for a long interrogation session later in the day. For the moment though, Itachi wanted to deal with his parents.

Without pause, he slipped off his sandals and stepped into his home, smelling his mothers' cooking from the doorway. Apparently, she was starting to make lunch for his father. He entered the neat kitchen, his hands stuffed into his pockets. As always, he had no need to announce his return home, her skills as a kunoichi were as sharp as ever.

"You are home later than we expected." She reprimanded worriedly. By _we_, she meant his father. Itachi sighed, having expected her to say this. His mother did not turn from the stove, the vegetable tempura at a vital point in the cooking.

"I need to speak with you and father." He said back. She nodded, pulling a potato from the deep frier just as it turned golden-brown.

Itachi then left the kitchen, no longer having anything to say at the moment. On the way to his room, he heard his brother and father speaking together in muted tones, the door into the study shut. He did not bother with them, continuing up to his room, then hopefully to the shower. His uniform stunk of blood and dirt so much, he could hardly sense Sakura's lovely scent on himself anymore.

Mikoto entered the study without preamble, a platter of tempura in hand. She eyed the paperwork Sasuke quickly moved out of the way with the motherly suspicion, getting an instinctive impression that her youngest son was filling out the forms to get promoted to ANBU. She did not at all approve of this, but if Fugaku was helping him, then she had no choice but to accept the idea. Perhaps Itachi could keep an eye on him, at least so she could sleep at night.

"Itachi-kun is back, Fugaku. He said that he needed to speak with you and I." Mikoto told her husband, setting down the tempura. He gave a noncommittal sound of agreement, a countenance of seriousness overwhelming him. Sasuke sighed, then looked at the wristwatch Sakura had gotten him the previous Christmas. He had to be going, unless he wanted Naruto to barge into the compound just to drag Sakura and him to Ichiraku.

Sasuke pardoned himself, frowning slightly when he almost crashes into his older brother as he left the room. Giving Sasuke a strange look, Itachi entered the study, bowing to his parents respectably.

"Oka-san, Otou-san, there is something rather important I would like to speak to you about." He said calmly, settling comfortably on his knees. Mikoto wished she had gotten the chance to tell her husband about the unfamiliar scent of a _woman _she had smelled on their son earlier, but supposed it could wait. Fugaku nodded, and Itachi took this as permission to speak freely.

"Last night, I proposed to the woman I have been courting for the past year. We are now engaged." Itachi told them placidly. He knew, naturally, that Sasuke had been curiously pressing his ear to the door, and had heard what he had just stated. Almost as soon as he had said it though, Sasuke was gone, having disappeared with a transportation jutsu. Fugaku and Mikoto were left to stare at him in bewilderment.

His father was the first to recover. "Just who is this girl? Is she acceptable for the clan?" He asked, his interest immediately going towards _the clan_. Itachi knew this would happen, and was confident that Sakura was a suitable choice to become his wife. she was apprentice to the Godaime Hokage, and recently appointed as head of the Konoha hospital. She was a jonin, just as his mother had once been, and knew how to stand up for herself. Yes, she was the perfect woman to be his bride.

"She is acceptable." He answered, though purposely leaving out her name. "I want to bring her here for dinner. Is tonight doable?"

Mikoto smiled to her son, not sure what to even say. She had never been prepared for him to take the incentive and find himself a wife. He had though, and a small part of her was glad for it. Itachi would never have allowed himself to get saddled into an arranged marriage, and now he would not have to ever. Still, she had no idea who this girl was, and if she were after her son simply because of the great Uchiha name.

Sakura was quickly pulled into Ichiraku by an eager Naruto, and was met by a stumped Sasuke. He was slumped onto the stool, staring into space. He looked like he was going into shock, but she knew better. It was more likely that Itachi had said something about the engagement. Naruto did not seem to understand Sasuke's mood, and was smart enough to quietly sit down next to him, for once.

"I cannot believe it...Itachi is going to be married." He whispered. Sakura looked away to hide her blush, but was surprised when Sasuke's attention did not turn to her. Apparently, he did not yet know that his dearest aniki was indeed, engaged to her; otherwise she would currently be going into an interrogation by both her teammates.

She sat down next to Naruto, unconsciously keeping her left hand on her lap and out of view. If anything, Sasuke was Itachi's brother for longer than he had been her teammate, so Itachi should be the one to tell him the particulars. So, she turned to Ayame, and ordered a small miso ramen. Ayame gave a hospitable smile and went right to work.

All through lunch, Sakura did not say so much as a word. Sasuke never did lift his head from the tabletop, and she had been completely ignored. So, once finishing her ramen, she gave the other members of team seven a little wave, and went on her way. She was somehow relieved on how their lunch together had turned out, because Sakura was no where near to being ready to face her two protective friends.

Seriously, those two knuckle-heads fought over everything and anything under the sun. Last Christmas, after several years of grief, she had resolved by buying the two idiots the same gift, a cheesy watch. If she had not, they would both decided that the other's present was better, and eventually trade. In this case, Naruto would have a cow because it was _Sasuke's brother_, and Sasuke would be pissed for not knowing sooner.

It had been a rather busy and crowded in the hospital's Emergency Room, just as it always was, so no one even had the time to point out the engagement ring on her finger. She had not bothered to hide it, so Shizune eventually noticed it, and dragged her directly into her office. Shizune had not given her so much as a second to explain what was going on before going into a full-out rant.

Sakura soon gave up on the idea of getting a word in. Thankfully, Shizune's rant on how difficult marriage was (using examples with her own with) had started ten minutes before her shift ended, and Sakura safely escaped. It was just her luck that Itachi was in the lobby, waiting for her, a small flock of fangirls huddling together just a few feet off.

Itachi stood as soon as he saw her, and walked up, completely ignoring his adoring fans. The nurses who made up the group of giggling girls all watched in horror as their dearest _Ita-kun_ picked up Sakura, then as they shared a heated kiss. Screams erupted as they ran away, most of them headed to the nearest, open restroom stall to cry. He pulled away with a smirk on his face, and Sakura instantly knew he had done it on purpose. She laughed, calling him a _meany_, and playfully hit him on the arm. He did not deny it, and instead kissed her again.

"My parents are expecting to meet you tonight. I hope you do not mind." He finally whispered, having had his fun. Sakura then froze in shock, not really having anything to say. Itachi sighed, having predicted this reaction from her, and was unsurprised by it. "They will not harm you, I promise."

Sakura gave him a dubious look. "Well, Thank you. Now I feel _so_ much better."

She knew this was necessary though, just as it was that Itachi eventually meet her parents as well. She shuddered at the thought, fully able to imagine the terrors they would unleash on Itachi, civilians or not. So, with a classic pout in place, she followed him home to the Uchiha compound, already well aware that she was walking into the lion's den.

Mikoto was greeted by a familiar head of bright pink hair and green eyes. She recognized her son's fiance as soon as she saw her, not that it should have been surprising. It was Haruno Sakura, the genin teammate to her younger son. What startled her was how Sakura was innocently holding Itachi's hand as if she were comfortable with it. As if _Itachi_ were comfortable with it.

She knew the stories; Mikoto was certain everyone knew of how this particular kunoichi had once been infatuated with Sasuke. Now she was with Itachi? She could not be sure of it, but something did not feel right about this. Surely the girl was not only after the Uchiha name, as she had feared, was she? Mikoto would hate for her son to fall for a woman who's only interest was his status, and not who he really was.

Itachi had a more difficult time interacting with people than most, and Mikoto knew this. That was half the reason that his newly announced engagement was so shocking. Itachi had always tended to avoid people at all cost, but now, he was planning to get married? This made no sense at all, knowing his character as well as she did. He had never shown any interest in settling down to start a family, but now suddenly, he has. With Sakura, though? Downright strange.

Did this girl truly love her son? Mikoto could not tell yet, but until she was certain that what they had was real, she knew what she had to do. Mikoto was going to test this Haruno Sakura, and see if she was _really _worthy of marrying her son.

Sakura knew that Mikoto would recognize her; she had been the teammate of her second son for several years. It was not Itachi's mother that Sakura was so concerned about, but more of his father. Fugaku was head of the Uchiha clan, and she had heard from Sasuke of how strict he could be.

She watched as a soft, understanding smile crossed the Uchiha matriarch's face. Relief washed over her, and Sakura gave a small grin of her own. "Sakura-chan! How nice to see you! You look so grown up now." Mikoto said cheerfully. Only Itachi could detect the hint of malice in his mother's voice. Inwardly, he sighed, hoping his mother was not planning to terrorize Sakura throughout the encounter.

"Uchiha-sama," Sakura bowed, "I am glad to see you as well." She remained as respectful as she possibly could, knowing how clan heads, or anyone with a position of power, thought highly of themselves. She was perplexed however when Mikoto broke out into cheerful laughter.

"You do not have to use my surname, Sakura-chan." She said with a pleasing smile. Sakura laughed as well, glad that she would not have to act uptight around Mikoto. "My, it seems only days ago that you were first on Sasuke-kun's team...how old are you now? Surely you cannot be older than seventeen. Such a young age to be marrying." Mikoto continued. Itachi seriously wondered if his mother was trying to reek havoc.

Yet, Sakura laughed. "No, Mikoto-san. I am the same age as Sasuke; twenty. I do not think that is too young to be getting married." She said, that diplomatic smile never leaving her lips. Itachi, however, could tell that this had bothered Sakura, just by the slight tightness in her voice, and strain on the corners of her lips to keep them turned upward. Itachi glanced at his mother for a moment, and felt as if he had just been dragged onto a battlefield, stuck between two opposing forces. Neither woman acted as if they noticed though.

"Oh, I apologize, Sakura-chan. I suppose its because when you stand next to Itachi-kun, he seems to tower over you. I never used to really think him as super tall, though; As a child, he actually used to complain about his hight."

It was then that Itachi knew it was getting into a dangerous zone. His mother had practically just called Sakura short, which was one of the things he knew she was sensitive about. He was certain that if it had not been his mother that had said it, Sakura would have attacked the woman with the intent to kill.

"That is not really fair, Mikoto-san. Itachi really _is _a tall person, he is nearly six feet." Sakura replied, though her voice level and calm. Itachi perceived the serious gleam in his fiancé's eyes, and knew this was really ridiculous. So, he cleared his throat. Both women turned to look at him, showing the same bewildered look on each of their faces. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

"Kaa-san, where it Otou-san?" Itachi intoned quietly. Mikoto gasped, as if embarrassed by something she had done, though Itachi knew she felt no shame about anything she had done.

"I am sorry, Sakura-chan. Please, come sit in the kitchen while I get my husband. Itachi-kun, would you be a dear and make some tea?" Mikoto asked in a tone that was almost sickly sweet. The woman gave them a subtle wink, then disappeared down the hall. Itachi gave Sakura's hand a small squeeze before taking her into the kitchen.

She settled at the table with a thoughtful frown, distractedly watching him as he filled a kettle with water. Letting it boil on the stove, Itachi huffed quietly and sat down next to her, his legs crossed and at ease. She sighed, then gave him a questioning glance. "Itachi, what the _hell_ was that? Your mother just...attacked me. I mean, I know that I still look like I am fifteen, and that I am not very tall, but that was just too much." She whispered, curling up into his side.

Itachi slowly breathed out of his nose, wrapping his arm around her waist. Sakura had always had confidence problems, undoubtedly from being coddled when she was younger. She was short, Itachi supposed, and she had eyes too big for her face, and her forehead was large and made her look younger, but these were all things that made her _Sakura_. He would not want her any other way.

"I cannot be sure why, but it appears that my mother is determined to traumatize you. I have reason the believe, however, that it has something to do with the little obsession you had with my brother when you were a genin. Perhaps she has decided to somehow prove you are not engaged to me because you never succeeded to grasp my brother's attention." Itachi stated wisely, blocking her hand when she tried to punch him.

"I was a kid then, Itachi, and Sasuke has never been more than my friend." Sakura retorted. Itachi already knew this, and knew how much it disgusted her that she had even been interested in Sasuke at all. She considered that short phase in her life to be the most pathetic, and hated to even think she had once been a fangirl. Itachi was thankful she had outgrown that, and was certain Sakura could never have had a lasting relationship with his otouto. They were simply much too different for each other.

"Yes, I know that. My mother, however does not know that phase was nothing more than roaring teenage hormones." He replied dryly, giving her a small smirk. She sighed, lifting her left hand to take another look at her ring. She had been doing this periodically all day, still trying to get used to the idea of being his bride.

"You know, it was not easy to pick the right ring." He murmured thoughtfully into locks of pink, watching her fixated gaze. He breathed in her sweet scent, then gently kissed the crown of her head.

She giggled softly, hardly able imagine that Itachi had a difficult time with anything. He was just so perfect, and had an easy time with things, no matter what he decided he was going to do. For him to make trouble of something as seemingly simple as choosing a ring.

Itachi gave her a meaningful look before kissing her knuckles gently. Sakura blushed as those sinful lips found their way up her arm and then to the bare skin of her throat. Sakura gasped softly, savoring the feel of his hot breath as it fanned her neck. Sakura reached up and raked her fingers through his long, raven hair, before achingly telling him not to leave a mark.

He grunted in response, sucking now with much more determination. Itachi was tempted to do just that, to leave a mark o show that she was irrevocably _his_. A year of seeing various suitors approach Sakura had been difficult, but she had proven her loyalty. Now, however, there was nothing for them to hide. She belonged to him in every way, and a part of him wanted everyone else to know that.

It was just then that Sasuke stepped into the kitchen. He had undoubtedly intercepted their mother before she could speak to his father, and had decided to see who his bride was to be. He was alarmed to find his kunoichi teammate in the arms of his brother. Surely she was the wrong woman.

"What the hell? Sakura, what are you doing here? Itachi's fiance is somewhere around here, and you go seduce him?" He angrily asked in confusion. Unfortunately, Itachi seemed to be hard for hearing, and had ignored his questions, blatantly continuing to suck on the vulnerable, soft skin of her throat. Sasuke felt his cheeks burn a deep, crimson red, never having seen his kunoichi teammate, nor his older brother, so preoccupied with someone of the opposite sex.

It was then that Sasuke saw the shine of a diamond ring on her finger. He was not sure what he should be feeling. He was slightly confused, and definitely anger, because he had just seen Sakura at lunch, and she had not cared to tell him. Nor had he managed to notice the ring she was wearing.

Sakura's head whipped around, startled at being intruded upon, while Itachi's eyes shot up dangerously, gleaming blood red with his sharingan. It was then that Itachi pulled away, causing Sakura to whimper softly in disappointment, and for her cheeks to turn pink. Ignoring Itachi and Sasuke's 'stare-down to the death,' Sakura plucked out a compact mirror. She was frustrated to see a flushing, bruising spot at the base of her neck. It looked as if Itachi had really tried to leave a mark, despite what she had told him.

She groaned angrily to herself, then glared at Itachi. "You were _trying_ to make a mark, even after I told you not to." She stated. He got that devilish, impish grin of his on his face, his sharingan eyes darkening lustfully. It was unnecessary for him to say anything after the look he had given her, but he did anyway.

"Perhaps I was."

Sakura rolled her eyes, concentrating glowing, healing chakra onto a finger, then moving to erase the evidence of what he had just been doing. He, however, would not have her covering up what he had just marked on her, no matter how small it was. Itachi caught her hand, giving her a reproving glance. His eyes then smoldered even darker, his red sharingan now a rich, burning burgundy. Her breath hitched in her throat, caught off guard by his scheming glance.

"Itachi, people are going to see it if I do not-

He quickly interrupted her. "That is what I want, Sakura." She blushed so hard, Sakura was certain that her face had to be purple. She opened her mouth, a snippy comeback rolling from her tongue, when Sasuke cleared his throat again, more impatiently this time. The words seemed to disappear right from her mouth, and she was left speechless. Exasperated, she whirled around to glare at Sasuke.

His arms were crossed, his mouth set in a firm line. These were signs enough that he was livid, and Sakura had the feeling it was because she had not said anything to him during lunch at Ichiraku. "Care to explain what the hell this is?" He asked sternly. Sakura could easily gather the rest of what he wished to say, '_I did not even know Itachi knew how to do something like that, and Sakura should certainly not be the one he does it to.'_

Itachi frowned. "Obviously, Sakura is my fiance. It is no one's fault but your own that you failed to notice the engagement ring earlier." Sakura was tempted to slap her forehead. Itachi was just begging for Sasuke to jump him, and with her situated on his lap, she would undoubtedly be dragged into it as well. Again, she prepared to say something, but Sasuke beat her to the punch.

"Why the hell," he started, but could not find the right words. He tried again, "When did you two even meet?" He had almost asked why Itachi would be interested in Sakura, but he probably would have ended up with a black eye, non existence ego, and a lost reputation. He preferred not to go through that, not after seeing it happen to Naruto so many times.

_Naruto._ Despite their never-ending rivalry, Sasuke felt bad for him. Naruto was still chasing Sakura, but now he had no chance. Itachi always got what he wanted, and he was completely enamored by her. Sakura had so many men trying to court her, but of all people, it had been his brother that had reigned champion. Itachi, the only male in Konoha that Sasuke had been certain was asexual. Clearly not, if he was engaged to Sakura. Insert disturbing visual of his older brother and kunoichi teammate tossing about in a bed. Sasuke shuddered in disgust; curse his hormonal-driven imagination, for picturing them doing _that_.

The pot whistled, indicating that the water was finished boiling. Itachi gracefully got to his feet, then shuffled to the cooking range. He returned to the table with five cups because just as he sat down, his parents entered the kitchen to join them. Fugaku sat down at the head, and took a good, long look at Sakura.

He then turned to his son, who was waiting for his approval expectantly. "Pink?" Was the only thing Fugaku could manage to say. Though no one else understood what his father meant by this, but it was generally assumed that it had to do with Sakura's hair. Itachi could easily interpret it though. The thing Fugaku had wanted to know was if Itachi's bride-to-be really had pink hair, and whether or not the next generation would too.

"Pink." Itachi replied wisely. This of course meant: _no, you are not going colorblind, and it is impossible for our children to have pink hair. The Uchiha genes are too strong._ Fugaku nodded his head, grunting thoughtfully. Haruno Sakura was a perfect candidate to be Itachi's wife; she checked out as having connections in high places, a good characteristic to the Uchiha matriarch. The thought of pink hair bothered him, but Fugaku would survive. Her status was more important as the head of the Uchiha clan.

"I approve of her, Itachi." Fugaku said after a long pause. Mikoto smiled brightly for them both, but Sakura had learned to be wary of the woman. It was clear Mikoto did not approve, if she was trying to torment her. Yet, she smiled back sweetly. If she was going to pester her through the day, the last thing Sakura was going to do was let her know that she was aware of it. That would only mean that it bothered her.

"I'm glad that is all settled." Mikoto said airily, reaching over to pour tea for everyone. Sasuke, however, definitely did not see things as being 'settled.' Itachi had never elaborated on how they had met, and nor had Sakura. If his brother seriously thought that he was going to let it go so easily, then he was sadly mistaken. Sasuke still believed he had the right to know how this had come about, being so closely connected with both Sakura and Itachi. He huffed irritatedly, drawing attention to himself purposely.

"Itachi. I still want to know." He said stubbornly, his arms crossed over his chest. Itachi sighed, not really wanting his family to know the story of how he and Sakura had met. He ignored his brother effectively, instead choosing to sip at the tea his mother had poured him. Hating to be ignored, least of all by his brother, Sasuke glared at Itachi, hoping for him to relent. Instead, it was Sakura that spoke.

"It was on a mission." She said softly, blushing in remembrance of their first meeting. They had known of each other because of Sasuke, but had never spoken before. Not until that fateful mission, that is.

"A mission?" Sasuke asked slowly. His glare turned from his brother to Sakura. This was half the reason why they had hidden their relationship. It was well-known that Itachi only took ANBU missions, so how Sakura could have lived through it, Sasuke had no idea. He knew how she had gotten the mission though, even though she was just a jonin. "Tsunade let her prized pupil go on an ANBU mission?"

Sakura shrugged. "She thought it would be a good experience. It was thanks to her that we met, because she was the one to put me on Itachi's squad." She replied. Sasuke frowned, clearly displeased by this revelation. Tsunade, despite their frantic and heartfelt begging, had always denied them participation in any ANBU mission. Yet, she had given Sakura one as a twisted sort of training.

He grimaced. "Right. So Itachi saw your extremely violent tendencies, discovered you two had so much in common, and it was love at first sight." He grumbled sarcastically. Sakura had half the mind to reach across the table and hammer her hand down on his duck-butt head, and would have too, if it were not for the presence of their parents.

Itachi huffed. The way Sasuke had worded it made he and Sakura sound rather fickle. "A likely conclusion, Otouto, but unfortunately for you, it is incorrect. It had nothing to do with her brutish fighting skills, as entertaining as it is to watch." He spoke up.

Sakura was surprised Itachi had even said anything regarding to how they met. She had reason to believe that he was ashamed of it. Admittedly, it was very humbling for someone with his rank. "Itachi did not let me fight hardly at all. He was doing most of the work for two, lowering the efficiency of the squad, and he really _should not_ have. Not that I am ungrateful for what he did that day; if he had not protected me, I do not think I would be alive today." Sakura whispered, giving a thankful smile to Itachi. He lamented wearily, giving Sakura an irritated glance. She respectively stuck her tongue out. Fugaku and Mikoto never saw this blatant display of maturity though, as they were both fixated on their son.

Itachi should have foreseen this happening, but he still was not prepared to face their judgement. He supposed it was rather shocking for an infamous ANBU captain to step in the way of a deadly blow to save another, but he could not deny it. In saving Sakura's life that day, he had come closer to death than ever before. Saving someone else was not something ANBU did usually, but when he had seen what that Iwa nuke-nin was about to do, all he could think was _not her_. His body had moved on instinct, and because of it, he had been fatally wounded.

Sakura closed her eyes, flashes of a strong chest and arms surrounding her, and the gruesome sound of flesh being sliced open reverberating through him. Itachi had done more than just stop the attacker, he had taken the full blow in her place. The injury he had sustained has stretched from his back all the way down his leg. He had lost so much blood just by standing, but he still had managed to defeat the enemy, even after being cut open so deeply.

She had never been more shocked by something, and had watched in horror as he had fallen to the grassy, forest floor, his eyes glassy and his heart rate irregular. It had only been by sheer, stupid luck that he had been able to stand before then, and she still could not believe he had fought after that.

Sakura was not sure what had happened, but a sort of strange connection...a bond between them had formed. At first, Sakura had thought it had been because of the high traces of her chakra that still flowed through his system, but even after that mission, and a week later, he had approached her again. Neither of them were sure why, but there had been a strong force pulling them to one another.

Friendship had sprouted, until he had decided that he wanted more. It may have been that he had then not known what to say, but he had quickly made his sentiments known to her, capturing his lips with her own. It may not have been her first kiss, but Sakura was sure that it would always be the most memorable. Itachi was the first person she had truly trusted everything with. He was the first man she ever found tangled in the sheets of a bed with, and she planned to keep him as the only one she ever slept with. She was glad she had saved every part of her for him.

Their relationship had progressed in an ordinary way, with a few hiccups here and there, but overall worth it. Sakura knew she was in love with the man long before he had told her how he felt, and she prayed that the feelings they shared would last a lifetime. Though Itachi was, in general, socially awkward, it had always been easy for her to understand him.

Mikoto noticed the brief glance Sakura and Itachi shared, and was bewildered by it all. Itachi was never someone to go out of his way for someone else, but he had not corrected her, so it had to be the truth. She was not sure what to think about this newly revealed side to her eldest son.

"That was how we met," Itachi concluded. Sakura smirked, knowing that he clearly did not want her to go into detail of how she had healed him. Because the would had stretched down his back and one of his legs, Sakura had needed to remove all of his clothing to see what she was healing. It had been the first time she had seen him in all of his naked glory. Not that she had really been looking; she was a medic, and had seen plenty of men nude, so she knew how to remain professional, and keep the ogling to a minimum.

Itachi saw where Sakura's mind was heading, and sincerely did not want her thoughts to be vocalized. "Sakura, it is unnecessary to go into anymore detail." He murmured, his eyes lowering, then looking off to something outside the kitchen window. She giggled, and before Sasuke could ask what _that_ meant, she continued.

"The injury he had sustained went from his upper back down to his lower left calf. As the assigned field medic, I had to preform surgery to heal his open wound. Despite the loss of blood, he still had the will to hold me back. He was determined for me to find a way to heal him with his clothes on. That was impossible though, because it was so bloody, I could not see the wound clearly, and he would not survive the journey back to Konoha. So, I had to take matters into my own hands." She cackled for Itachi's benefit. She paused for the sake of tension in her little story, which she was greatly enjoying.

Itachi began to continue for her, "She sedated me-

"And stripped him myself." She finished smugly. To this day, Itachi did not comprehend what there was to be so proud about in this situation. Surely it was not such a big deal to see him naked. Then he remembered his adoring fans.

Sasuke gaped at Sakura, while Mikoto giggled like a school girl. Fugaku stared into space; the ways his son and Sakura had met made no difference to him.

Sasuke could not believe that sweet, innocent Sakura had intentionally sedated his older brother just to strip him. Now she spoke of it with pride in her voice, as if...as if she had accomplished something great by doing this. She was just as bad as all the air-headed nurses in the hospital she worked at. Sakura had always strictly avoided removing all of his, Naruto's, or Kakashi's clothes whenever _they _were severely injured. Itachi, though? Sakura had to see everything, just to feed that curiosity of hers.

Mikoto could only come to one conclusion from this story, and it was not far from what Sasuke was thinking. Sakura did not love her son, as she had hoped, but only was interested in him for his goods. Clearly, the sex had to be great, if this woman was willing to marry him.

"You saw...?" Sasuke realized that he _really_ should not ask, as soon as he had said the words. Sakura tilted her head to the side in confusion, as if she were trying to get a different look at him. She, of course, knew to what he was referring. He immediately looked in an opposite direction, his entire face turning a tomato red.

Sakura snorted. "First off, I am a medic, or have you forgotten? Second off, I fail to see how that is really any of your business, Sasuke." She finished with a feline-like purr, slipping her arms about one of Itachi's with a sly expression on her face. This spoke very clearly to him. It said, _yes, I have more than just seen, several, wonderful times._ He shuddered, while Itachi embarrassedly fussed with the high collared shirt he was wearing.

"Kaa-san, Sakura has just come from work, and I believe she would like to wash up. When is dinner to be?" Itachi finally asked after multiple, awkward moments. Mikoto smiled.

"Not for an hour, at least. You should take Sakura-chan up to the bath, so she can relax. I will come up for you two when dinner is almost ready." She said sweetly in response. Itachi nodded, then took Sakura from the room, nearly running from it. Sakura snickered softly as she was dragged upstairs to the bath that Itachi and Sasuke shared. He let his shoulders slump once he was in the privacy of the bathroom. Absentmindedly, he drew the water, and Sakura gleefully noted that the tub was big enough for more than one adult-sized person.

The tub full with steaming, hot water, he finally turned to her, a carnivorous dilation of his eyes making her shiver. "I think I should punish you for telling them about that." He growled sensually, reaching for the zipper to her vest. Her eyes darkened, and she let him tug every article of clothing from her body, though only allowed him to slip her into the hot water once she had pulled everything from him as well.

...

Mikoto was nearly finished cooking a traditional dinner with misoyaki butterfish, crab miso soup, ahi sashimi, and soba. She had not heard footsteps above her head in the hour it had taken her to cook this meal, and it bothered her. She had heard them enter the bathroom, but so far, there was nothing of their leaving it. Even more concerning, there had been very little splashing sounds, and she could only imagine what that meant.

So, she did what any other clear headed mother would do, yell for her younger son to watch the stove while she checked in on them.

Curious by nature, Sasuke left a bushin watching the stove, while he stalked behind his mother, wondering what they were up to as much as his mother was. Unfortunately, he saw something he should not have, and he doubted he would ever forget the expression of horror on Sakura's face when his mother shamelessly slid the shoji door open and stepped in. Sakura had been sitting in the direction of the door, with Itachi directly behind her, playfully biting down on her shoulder. Sasuke almost lost control of his chakra at seeing the girl he nearly considered a sister utterly nude, which would have meant falling from the ceiling, to which he was fixed like a spider.

"I apologize for interrupting, but dinner is almost finished, and I wanted to bring you two some towels." Mikoto said, feigning her chagrin, which they both saw through.

"Kaa-san, I already have extra towels in here." Itachi sighed, his lips leaving the love-bite he had been working on. Sakura could not say anything. She could not believe the woman would just barge into the room, when she had clearly already known that they would not be dressed. Just what was this woman trying to do? Sakura could not make sense of it, though what Itachi had told her held some merit. Still, she did not want to think that Mikoto was making the incorrect assumption that she did not really love her son.

"Very well then, Itachi-kun. Be ready in ten minutes; I do not want anyone late." She said in a sing-song voice, turning to leave. Pausing, she called out a little louder, "Sasuke-kun, it is impolite to stare at a naked woman. I thought I taught you better than that."

There was a sudden, heavy thud on the hardwood floor of the hallway, and Sakura saw a flash of her idiotic Uchiha teammate before he dashed away. Mikoto chuckled darkly to herself. "Well, be down quickly." She said. Just as Mikoto left, it processed in Sakura's mind that _Sasuke_, of all people, had seen her just then, when she had been working to be sure none of her teammates ever saw her in nothing.

"Damn you, Sasuke! I am going to beat your dumb ass!" She shouted after him. Itachi snarled in agreement, anticipating when he could brutally kick his brother into unconsciousness. He did not like that his brother had just seen his fiance in such a revealed state, and Sasuke was going to have to pay for it.

Dressed once again, Itachi and Sakura walked into the kitchen, glaringly searching for Sasuke, hoping to pummel him before it was time to eat. When everyone was seated besides Sasuke, who appeared to be hiding, Sakura decided that _enough was enough._ If she was going to have to drag him down to the table, then so be it. It was not _her_ reputation that was going to be wrecked in front of everyone. Impatient as ever, she got to her feet.

Sakura gave Itachi a look, and he nodded his head, smirking to himself. Whatever Sakura could do to Sasuke was likely to be worse that what he could do. She was the medic after all, and had an extensive knowledge on how to manipulate others with their pressure points. He knew this only because she had pulled a few tricks on him before. She left, releasing a smothering amount of killing intent.

The screaming started precisely two minutes and seventeen seconds after Sakura left the kitchen table. This went on for ten minutes at least, and Itachi could not hold in his demented smile as he listened to his brother being tortured. Fugaku was shocked by the sounds of his son being, from the sounds of it, abused to the point of death, but not too alarmed by it. This was a common occurrence in their home, after all. It seemed that this Haruno Sakura had a sadistic side to her, much like Itachi did.

When Sakura returned to everyone else, she was dragging Sasuke behind her by a handful of his black, spiked hair. Itachi was at the point of chuckling when she finally showed up. Sasuke was dropped into his spot at the table, and Sakura stomped to her seat. A bright smile on her face, she smoothly sat, gracefully weaving her fingers together, then setting her hands on her lap, as if nothing had just happened.

"Did that amuse you, Itachi?" She asked with delight.

"Perhaps."

Mikoto and Fugaku looked at their other son, who, though not bloodied, was badly bruised, from what they could tell. Sakura was the perfect sort of woman for Itachi, Fugaku was certain. With her strength, the next generation of Uchiha were bound to be much more powerful than their proceeders. They would surpass even Itachi, if their mother was any indication.

All Mikoto could grasp was _violent, little woman_. This much was true, but it founded a new sense of respect for this Sakura. She still was not sure that Sakura was the one for her son, but Mikoto could see that Sakura was someone capable of standing up for herself.

"Itadakimasu." Itachi finally uttered, splitting his pair of wooden chopsticks. Sakura followed his example, then the rest of their party. For the first five minutes, there was an uncomfortable silence, filled only by their eating, before Mikoto decided to make things a little more awkward. She had learned from the scene in the bathtub that the sex was everything. This was the only thing she could assume, after seeing them like that together.

"So, Sakura-chan, Itachi-kun, is there a reason that you both decided this was the best time for you two to get engaged?"

Itachi had not talked to his parents about his retiring from ANBU, and he was not sure that this was the best time to approach that topic. He glanced at Sakura for her opinion, and she gave him an understanding smile. "Actually, there is a reason that we decided we should get married now." Sakura said, turning to Itachi for encouragement. He sighed, knowing it was a good thing he told them now.

Mikoto, however, came to the wrong verdict, and spit her question right out there. "Itachi-kun, is she pregnant?" Itachi's eyes widened in alarm, Sakura turned beet-red, and Sasuke sprayed the miso soup that had been in his mouth everywhere. Three pairs of sharingan flashed to Sakura's abdomen, to check for an accumulation of chakra.

"No! I am not pregnant!" She screeched in indignation, pulling down on her red vest uncomfortably. "I think I would know if I was, Mikoto-san!"

Mikoto's sharingan faded into the usual pitch black color her eyes were. She frowned, as if disappointed that Sakura had been telling the truth. "Well, if you were, I suppose it would be too early to tell, since Itachi only returned last night." She reasoned.

"Kaa-san, Sakura and I use contraception. That was not the deciding factor for our engagement." Itachi sighed, noticing how Sasuke had blanched at the mention of their sexual health.

"Then what was the deciding factor?" Fugaku asked, looking up from an empty set of dishes. How he had finished eating so quickly, no one had any idea. Sakura had thought he would be slow eater, just like Itachi was, and preferred to savor every bite while it lasted, but she supposed not. He had inhaled his meal while no one was looking.

"I have decided to retire from the ANBU and go on active duty as a jonin."

Fugaku glared at his son. "What reasoning do you have to leave?"

Mikoto, however, approved of this, and placed a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder. If Fugaku was planning to set Sasuke up in the black operatives, then he would have no concern over the clan's connections. She had been worried about Itachi's mentality; her son's lengthly amount of time in the ANBU made her wonder if he had everything straight in his head.

"I have been a member of the ANBU black operatives much longer than any other person before. If Sasuke joins, then I fail to see the reason for us to both be an operative." Itachi paused before continuing with his thought. "Besides, I would like to settle down for once, and perhaps start a family. At the age of twenty-five, it is time for me to be thinking about being a father of my own children." He said softly, moving a strand of pink hair out of Sakura's face. "_That _is why I proposed to Sakura last night."

Fugaku took a moment to process this, before turning to Sakura. "I hope you are already informed that it is required as Itachi's bride to bear him a son, to produce the next heir." Sakura grabbed Itachi's hand from under the table and gave it a squeeze.

"I have already decided that I wanted that for myself, long before he asked me to become his wife."

Mikoto was not yet satisfied. Something had to be wrong. What kind of girl switches from one brother to the other one? She did not like it at all. On top of that, who else had this girl shown interest in, had decided that she was in love? Certainly Itachi was not the second one Sakura has fallen for.

Apparently, it was time for her to pull out the big guns. She grinned, then excused herself from the table. When she returned, she suspiciously kept her hands behind her back, and it was assumed that she was holding something. Fugaku caught a look at the object behind his wife's back, and sighed. "You are being ridiculous, Mikoto." He told her gruffly. She ignored him though, sitting back down at her spot.

"In light of what you have just said, Itachi-kun, I have decided to give you and Sakura-chan a little gift." She said, then placing a little bottle labeled _K-Y Warming Touch_ in front of them. Everyone stared at the little bottle, while Mikoto looked rather pleased with herself. Itachi massaged his temples, trying to keep his temper down for his mother's sake. Sasuke gagged on thin air, while Sakura just looked helpless and embarrassed.

"Mikoto-san, that is very thoughtful of you, to spend your money on us, but really..." She trailed off, not wanting to hurt the woman's feelings. She just looked so proud with herself.

Itachi lifted his head from his hands, not intending to be as gentle as Sakura had been. "Kaa-san, We have never used something like this, and honestly, I doubt that we will. We do not really need any help." He said. Mikoto did not look wounded by what Itachi had said at all, but instead more determined.

"Itachi-kun, there is no need to be embarrassed by it. Besides, you may discover it to be more fun with a something new."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Mikoto-san, he is telling the truth." Her face dropped slightly though, and she quickly amended by telling her, "but we will take it anyway. It was kind of you to go out of your way like that." Itachi looked as if he were about to complain, and she quickly elbowed him, before he could say something that would offend his mother. The eyebrows on Fugaku's head rose at this interesting display, and he watched as Itachi teasingly pulled on the thin hairs in the back of Sakura's neck. It was after Itachi caught her first punch that she remembered where exactly she was.

Itachi certainly shared an interesting sort of relationship with Sakura, Fugaku knew then. He had never seen something quite like it before.

"Sakura-chan, if you would like to, you can spend the night here. I am sure you would like to spend more time with Itachi-kun." Mikoto said, after observing her apologize in embarrassment for fighting at the table. If the _K-Y_ trick had not worked, then she had to do something new, something she had yet to think of. To do that, she needed more time, because she refused to admit defeat until she was sure that Sakura loved Itachi. Her son deserved better, if she did not.

"Good then, we can continue this upstairs."

Itachi did not wait for her to answer. He stood, then picked up Sakura, throwing her over his shoulder. She blinked, then blushed, wriggling her fingers at the remaining group. "Thank you, Mikoto-san. I would love to spend the night." She said with genuine happiness, right as Itachi walked them out of the room.

"That was strange for foreplay." Mikoto muttered thoughtfully. "They enjoy fighting together."

Sasuke did not even hear this, having fallen over onto his side long ago, and was frothing at the mouth. He was deemed fine by his parents, who cleared the dishes as he lay there unconscious. Apparently, the shock of the entire situation had been too much for him, and he had not figured out how to handle it properly.

"You always knew that Itachi was different, Mikoto." Fugaku responded.

As if on cue, there was a loud thump over their heads, where Itachi's room was, sounding awfully like someone had been thrown to the floor.

...

Sakura, in the year he had known her, had never been one to suffer from nightmares. They had shared the same bed countless times, and she had never once had a problem. Itachi had always considered her to sleep like a rock; never moving too much, and hard to wake up once falling deep asleep. Yet, at some time after three in the morning, she had started to push him away.

Itachi was a rather light sleeper, and had woken up immediately. He sat up, ignoring the dizzy sensation he experienced because of it. Sakura was thrashing all over the bed, from the looks of it, trying to avoid him. He watched in bewilderment as she squirmed over to the far side of his bed, and blinked when she fell off the edge.

He blinked again, staring at the spot she had been a second before then, before craning his neck to see what she was doing on the floor. She was laying there, still seemingly asleep. He knew she was a deep sleeper, but this was ridiculous. Itachi was certain that she would have woken up after falling two feet to the floor. Something had to be wrong.

He frowned, crawling out from the sheets, then walked around to the other side of the bed. He kneeled down next to her to hear Sakura mumble something incoherently. He knew for a fact that Sakura never spoke in her sleep. Itachi pressed the backside of his hand to her forehead, but it felt like a normal temperature. He felt her pulse, but it was not irregular. He opened an eye, and was bewildered to find them dilated.

He growled under his breath, wishing he had noticed it earlier. It was a genjutsu. The only people strong enough with genjutsu to get past him was his mother and father, and he doubted his father would honestly care. Which left his mother. Itachi concentrated his chakra, then dispelled it from Sakura's system. She sat up instantly, then looked around herself.

"Itachi, did you put me on the floor?" She asked in suspicion. He sighed.

"I did not."

She frowned, blinking. Sakura then yawned, deciding to go back to bed. Itachi helped her in, the curled himself around her. Tired as he was, he decided to stay up until he was sure his mother would not try to put strange genjutsu on his fiance. He was not sure what Sakura's pushing him away was supposed to do. Sakura fell back asleep quickly, and against his will, with the soft sound of her breathing to lull him, Itachi followed in suit.

It was morning. This was the first thought that went through her head when Sakura woke. It surprised her when she found Itachi was not awake yet. She inched into a sitting position, but as gentle as she was trying to be, he still stirred. He smiled lazily up at her, reaching to kiss her. Sakura returned it happily, bending her neck down to meet him halfway. The stretch strained her somehow though, and he noticed when she winced.

Itachi sat up to accommodate her, knowing her muscles were stiff. Carefully, he picked her up and spun her around, until he was facing the plains of her back. Not so gently this time, he grabbed each of her shoulders and started to knead. Sakura gasped, "Itachi, are you giving me a massage?"

"Is that the one where I rub your muscles and joints to relieve pain, or was that something else I am thinking of?" He muttered back. Sakura slowly grinned, despite his sarcasm.

The grin was quick to disappear when Itachi, the massage therapist, was not being as gentle as she would prefer.

Sasuke was surprised to wake up in his own room; he was certain he had dropped dead after his mother had pulled out that bottle of _K-Y_. How his mother had managed to drag him up the stairs without waking him, he would never know, seeing he was a good six inches taller than her, and had to be around twice her weight in muscle. It was morning, and so he got up to clean himself and get to the training grounds.

Normally, at this sort of time, Itachi would already be long gone, having eaten breakfast than headed into the surrounding Uchiha forest to train. His heart nearly stopped when he heard a familiar and feminine voice moan loudly. He knew what that meant, but was his brother serious? Right _then _of all times? Cheeks tinted pink, he pressed his ear to the door.

It was then that he heard their muted talking. _"Itachi, do you really find it necessary to be so rough with me?" _Came Sakura's voice, sweet and lively as ever, with an edge that made her sound pained. Pure, innocent Sakura was in there, being _fucked _by his brother. This was certainly not how he wanted to start his morning, but it was not as if he could barge in there and break up the action.

"_I am not being rough, Sakura. You know I have to do this." _Was Itachi's grumbled response. This was such a shock, that there was someone in existence capable of controlling Sakura. Not even Kakashi, as she grew up, had been able to manipulate her. Clearly, Itachi was very used to getting his way with her.

Mikoto, just as timely as ever, came up the stairs to see what was keeping her son. Itachi had never been one to sleep in, even as a young child. For him to do so now was very peculiar. She frowned when seeing her youngest son stealthily listening into the room with his ear to the door. When she heard a soft groan, Mikoto understood why. Just as inquisitive as her son, she pressed her ear to the door as well, cloaking her chakra.

"_Yes, I understand that, but could you at least be a little more gentle? You are going to do more harm then good." _

"_How about I pull out that _K-Y_ my mother so boldly gave us. Would that make it feel more soothing?" _Was asked back sarcastically.

Poor Sasuke's face was so red, Mikoto was certain it would start to turn purple next. She understood it though; a girl he had known since starting at the ninja academy having sex with his brother had to be something difficult for him. He still must have seen her as the little girl she had been then. She pursed her lips. For the sake of her dearest Sasuke, she had to but them in their place.

To Sasuke's horror, his mother slid the shoji door open completely, not even bothering to hide the fact that hey had both been listening in. "Ohayo gozaimasu, you two love birds!" Mikoto called much too cheerfully for the morning. There was not, however, any crazed sex scenes to be found, but instead a pained Sakura with Itachi as her personal massager.

"It was rude to listen in, Kaa-san, Otouto. Do not think I did not notice you out there." Itachi chided them grumpily. Sasuke nodded his head, not forgetting the last time he had been curious to see what they were up to, and ran off to some distant refuge of his. With Itachi as a brother and Sakura as one of his best friends, he needed several good hiding spots.

Personally, Sakura had had just about enough. Mikoto had done nothing but subtly torment her the entire time she had been there, solely on the assumption that she was not in love with Itachi. The fact of the matter was, she was very much in love with Itachi. Sakura was _ridiculously _in love with Itachi. If she had not thought that she was the best woman for him, then she would have left long ago.

So, this reign of terror had to be put to an end. When would Mikoto ever stop otherwise? After the marriage? When they had their first child? Sakura did not see it as being as simple as that, but she had to do something to make her feelings known to everyone. Sighing, she got off the bed, pulling Itachi's t-shirt down to be more appropriate.

"Mikoto-san, I understand that you are concerned for your son, any mother would be, but there is something I seem to need to make very clear. I am in love with Itachi. I honestly could not care less about his name, or anything about his power. If you are wondering about my little crush on Sasuke, I will tell you that I was twelve, and my body was being overwhelmed with hormones. I see him as the older brother I never had, and we have never been closer than that. So despite whatever you want, I will marry Itachi, to fulfill my own happiness."

There was an eery sort of silence before a smile crossed Mikoto's face. Sakura had definitely just proven it to her, she was worthy of wedding her son. If she had not stood up for herself, then Mikoto would have never known for sure. Doubt cleansed from her mind, she giggled to herself.

"I apologize, Sakura-chan. It was nothing personal, but I had to be sure that Itachi would be happy. I can see now that you are the girl he needs." Mikoto bowed, before adding, "Was I really that obvious?"

It was needless to say that three months from then, Itachi and Sakura were happily married, with only six or seven broken hearts on her side, and a village full of crying girls on his. It had taken a week to get Sasuke out of hiding, but he appeared at the wedding as Itachi's best man, and had a hard time not tearing up when they had taken their vows. Fugaku had allowed Itachi to retire from the ANBU, and once again, all was right in the world.

Mikoto and Sakura became closer, and had even help build a bridge to Sakura's stubborn family. That, unfortunately, had been an utter mess, with Sakura's younger brother trying to protect his sister from _that tall, evil shinobi_, while her mother had verbally attacked them both. It had not been pleasant, and to her wedding day, Sakura's father had wanted her to marry someone else that would benefit his business. Itachi, however, would never allow such a thing.

It was a year later that Sakura gave birth to a son, whom she named Kohaku. Itachi's team of genin had been nearly as excited as Itachi was, and on there days off, would help babysit so Kohaku's parents could have some free time to themselves. Generally, life was pleasant, and Sakura had been right, it was worth it in the end.

_The End_

**AN: This is something random I came up with. It was really fun to write, and I hope it was just as fun to read. Hopefully it was somewhat funny, because that was what I was going for. I felt the need to try something new for once.**


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